Get to know your natives Story and Photo by Mary Russell-Evans I often wonder what other folks think of when they think about Arkansas. Razorbacks? Swamps? BBQ? Music? Mosquitos? As a child of the Ozarks, a totally different image comes to my mind. I think of the natural beauty I grew up with outside, climbing …
Memoirs of a Nursery Woman Story and Photo by Mary Russell-Evans Sometimes it seems that cabin fever is replaced by spring fever. Onset usually occurs immediately upon recovery from the former. Unfortunately, while under the influence, some of us forget how to behave and play well with others – particularly in the nurseries. Spring has …
A healthy population of earthworms leads to a healthy garden Story and Photos by Kristi Cook I have worms. But I wish I had more. I’m talking about earthworms, some of nature’s most significant earth healers. These creatures can do everything from aerating garden soil and improving poor soil structure to fertilizing the garden. All …
Do you get overly attached to your plants? Story by Dan Gill I’ve attended several funerals in recent years. I guess as you get older that sort of thing is inevitable. Dealing with the death of a friend or loved one is never easy. The rituals and traditions that have been developed over time are …
Sometimes a plant’s failure is obvious … sometimes not so much By Dan Gill I love lazy June days when it’s too hot to work in the garden. The temperatures are not quite as torrid as they will be later on. And that certain desperation that comes as scorching day follows scorching day has not …
These are the must-have tools every gardener needs to be successful When it comes to doing a project, the right tools make all the difference in both the ease of completing the project and the final outcome of the project. Gardening is no exception. A Shovel. Of all the tools listed, this might be the …
Thug plants to avoid in the landscape Story and Photography by Susan Albert Everyone who gardens can relate to the oft-used phrase “garden thugs.” During the experimental stage, when early gardeners eagerly try many plants with wild abandon, they may come across some decidedly ornery plants that cause extra work removing their offspring. And while …
It’s not what you plant, but how you grow it Story and Photography by PJ Gartin There isn’t a single gardener on this green Earth who doesn’t harbor plant prejudices. Some of us moan that Zinnia are too common, while others judge Agapanthus as old-fashioned and boring. Surely, I’m not the only one who’s tired …
We all have different ways of looking at our gardens By Dan Gill Beauty is in the eye of the beholder … One man’s trash is another man’s treasure … It’s all a matter of taste. These sayings all make the same point: People look at the word in their own individual ways. Gardeners, of …
10 ways to keep critters out of your fruits and vegetables By A.J. Heinsz-Bailey The first vine-ripened tomato of the season is always the best. You have faithfully watered it, delicately weeded around the plant, and carefully inspected it every day. Tomorrow it will be ready for harvesting. The next morning, you enter the garden …
